Post by Moses on Feb 5, 2005 22:05:21 GMT -5
CourierPress
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URL: www.courierpress.com/ecp/news/article/0,1626,ECP_734_3525434,00.html
GOP gets an earful on issues
Town hall participants offer a list of concerns
By BYRON ROHRIG and JOHN MARTIN Courier & Press staff writers 464-7426 or blrohrig@evansville.net 464-7594 or jmartin@evansville.net
February 5, 2005
The line of people waiting to speak to Indiana House Republican leaders Friday stretched out the door and far down the hallway from the Civic Center's largest meeting room.
House Speaker Brian Bosma, at the first of six statewide "legislative town hall" meetings while the Legislature meets, seemed awed at the crowd, promising to find a bigger location next time.
Inside, half the crowd showed hands when asked if they'd come to register opposition to feared cuts in Medicaid funding. The 150 or so who crowded inside the meeting room applauded Kaitlin Thompson, a North High School student who, from her wheelchair, called for programs by which "I can live with my family and go to college."
Especially of concern was the lack of funds for Medicaid waivers. The state can apply to the federal government for waivers, which allow Indiana to offer additional services.
Outside the room, Mary Coke, who suffers from cerebal palsy and was accompanied by Latia Price of Supportive Living Services, said that if the state's program is cut, it will be more difficult for her to live independently.
"If we didn't need it, we wouldn't be here." - Mary Coke, on feared cuts in Medicaid"If we didn't need it, we wouldn't be here," said Coke, who uses a wheelchair.
Sheila Kennedy, administrator of Woodland Convalescence Center in Warrick County, said her nursing facility stands to lose about $8,700 a month in state aid. It's money used for various programs for residents.
"My concern is, what am I going to be able to trim back and still offer a quality service," Kennedy said.
School funding also was a big issue Friday. Evansville-Vanderburgh School Board member Mike Duckworth, flanked by Superintendent Bart McCandless and Assistant Superintendent Bob Yeager, urged the Republican legislators to "do some out-of-the-box thinking on how you want to fund education."
McCandless urged support of full-day kindergarten, renewal of legislation allowing school corporations to transfer capital funds to the general fund and keeping ISTEP tests in the fall. Though McCandless said there are educational reasons favoring spring testing, the cost is prohibitive, he said, under budget constraints. Tax legislation was also a concern of those waiting to address lawmakers.
Spencer County officials spoke about a bill that would give steel mills a tax break to help make them competitive in a difficult environment.
Spencer County Commissioners President Dan Rininger said the legislation would enable the assessed value of AK Steel's Rockport plant to decrease from $310 million to $103 million, saving the plant nearly $3 million in property taxes, but the local tax burden would shift to other county property owners, whose taxes could increase by 14 percent in 2017.
"Shifting this portion of property taxes to the balance of Spencer County property owners, I am sure, was not the intent" of the legislation, Rininger said.
Two speakers opposed defining marriage as just between a man and a woman.
When Bob Davies stood to speak on Interstate 69, Bosma asked him, "Are you fer it, or agin it?"
"I'm from Evansville," Davies shot back. "I'm fer it."
That comment was greeted with applause second only to that for Thompson's speech.
Local environmental activist John Blair said charging Hoosier industries by the pound for toxic chemicals pumped into the air would generate a huge revenue stream and reduce pollution. "It's a win-win situation," he said, "but nobody will listen."
Other Republican legislators on the leadership panel were Evansville Rep. Vaneta Becker and Reps. Bill Friend, Larry Buell and Troy Woodruff.
"My concern is, what am I going to be able to trim back and still offer a quality service." - Sheila Kennedy, nursing facility admnistrator